The human body is made up of 75% water. We should drink about ten glasses of water per day to be healthy and insure our organs work properly. With that said what type of water we drink is a pretty important decision.
How Do They Differ?
What is the difference between distilled water and spring water? This is a common question and it makes sense that people want to know. After all isn’t all water pumped from the ground? Well, the answer is yes and no. Spring water comes from a spring and it is usually deep in the ground and filled with minerals. Distilled water may come from a spring; it may also come from a river. So the first difference in the two waters is where the water originated.
Spring Water
More importantly is how the water is prepared and purified. Spring water is advertised as the natural way to hydrate the human body. The bottling company filters the water to remove dirt, or natural debris that is in the water. The filters are so advanced and ultra-fine that anything impure is removed from the water down to the molecular level. Once filtered the spring water contains nothing except pure water and natural minerals.
The result is clean, drinkable water that is high in mineral content. It is healthy to drink. It is important to note that all of the bottled water you see in the store is not spring water or distilled water. There is also purified water, which is highly filtered removing 99.5% of impurities. There is also municipal water, which is a fancy name for tap water. Two of the top selling water brands in America are nothing but filtered tap water from the sink.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is purified in a different way. It is strained and then boiled. The water is superheated until it turns into vapor. Then the vapor is trapped and forced back to liquid. This removes everything from the water. There are no signs of toxins or impurities in the finished product. There are also no natural minerals left. Everything has been removed except hydrogen and oxygen. It is now pure, clean water. Though this super water is not as highly recommended for hydration to life, it is widely used especially in atmospheres where purity is essential.
Science labs and machinery manufactures will often use distilled water. The chemicals in spring water may be beneficial to humans, animals and plants but even the smallest trace will destroy fine machinery. Even your appliances at home such as your stove top, iron; curling iron and such will last longer if it is cleaned with distilled water. Over time magnesium and calcium leaves a minute film on metal that they eye can’t see. Anything with even a small crevice can get gummed up over time with mineral composites.
Taste and Health
Distilled water is less satisfying to humans and animals. It has almost no taste. Even if the water came from the same spring as spring water, it will taste dramatically different. But it is not the taste that is the issue. When a person is thirsty and requires hydration they drink water. Distilled water has no essential minerals so the water actually pulls the minerals from your body tissues to balance the electrolytes balance. In essence, the distilled water is not giving the body what it needs and is depleting it from the minerals it already has stored.
Over time this can be unhealthy. However, the experts cannot agree on this. They seemed to be split right down the middle. Half claim distilled water restores blood alkaline chemistry and enhance cell performance. The other half claim the body is not designed to absorb pure water and it depletes the blood cells required for proper health. The debate goes on. The only thing everyone seems to agree on is spring water quenches thirst better and most people like the taste better and distilled water is better for equipment. People who do not get enough minerals can suffer from insulin issues, migraines, constipation, and high blood pressure.
Unstable Distilled water
Because everything has been removed from distilled water, it is unstable and if not handled properly can and will attract toxins. Even the container the water is in can contaminate the water. It is best to purchase distilled water in glass bottles rather than flexible plastic bottles. If the plastic is HDPE plastic, it will be absorbed into the water, making the water taste funny and impure. Look for the #2 stamped under the bottom to tell. If it is stamped #2, choose another. Once opened, the water is exposed to impurities in everything. For distilled water, recap tightly and store in the refrigerator. It should be used within 3 days of opening to insure it is still the product you purchased. If you want to stabilize your water and add minerals to it drop a few pieces of natural rice in the bottle. In a few minutes the minerals have been absorbed and the water is stabilized.
The Battle
Water is the most important life sustaining material there is with the exception of oxygen. A person can live without food for weeks, but will die in less than two weeks without water. Water is more precious than gold. Without water the earth will die. However, companies, agencies and people continue to contaminate our water supply. The first things we need to do it clean up our own water supply. Then we need to join the fight to force the powers that be to insure our water is safe and protected! Join organizations like Greenpeace or the Sierra Club. They remind legislators that we demand safe water. We all must work together to secure our future and the future of our planet.